Inviting people in

The 6:00 wake-up call came EARLY this morning, but it was well worth it. We started out the day walking through the desert in order to get a taste of what the Israelites experienced during their 40 years of wandering. And, can we just say… how did they do it?! They’re not lyin’ when they tell you the desert is HOT! However, enduring the heat was worth it to see the beautiful views. Who knew the desert could be pretty? It was made evident to us several times throughout the day why God chose Israel to be the Promised Land for His children. Needless to say, today we got the full desert experience. From walking through it, to riding its animal (yep, you guessed correctly, CAMLES!!), all the way to hospitality in a tent where we were served hot tea and Baklava. We were reminded of the sweetness that comes from simply inviting people in, and what it looks like to love the way that Jesus would. The day ended perfectly with an unexpected visit to the dead sea! We were blown away at the fact that the salt concentration is so high that you literally float, and sometimes... involuntarily.

Some favorite memories from the day include seeing some Ibex (Israel’s national animal), learning a few Hebrew words from our tour guide Ronan, and getting up close and personal with some smelly camels.